Jason and Irha Atherton to open Hai Cenato in February 2017

Jason Atherton and his wife Irha are to open a new Italian concept, Hai Cenato, in the Nova development in London’s Victoria, in February 2017.

Hai Cenato, which translates as ‘Have you had dinner?’ in Italian, will also open with Atherton’s chef patron Paul Hood, who also oversees the Michelin-starred Social Eating House restaurant in Soho.

James Brown, current senior sous chef at Social Eating House, will take over Hai Cenato as head chef.

Its menu will be inspired by New York-Italian cuisine, with small plates and dishes such as pasta, risotto, grills, and pizzas cooked in the restaurant’s own pizza ovens.

The site will also open alongside new bar concept The Drunken Oyster, overseen by group bar executive Jamie Jones. It will serve Italian cocktails ‘with a twist’ as well as sparkling ‘taptails’ – cocktails on tap.

The new site’s interior will be designed by the Russell Sage Studio.

Hai Cenato will be the latest London opening for Atherton, whose growing Social group includes the Michelin-starred Pollen Street Social, City Social, Berners Tavern, Social Wine & Tapas, and most recently Japanese concept Sosharu.

The group also operates sites abroad, including in New York, Shanghai, Hong Kong and Dubai, while Irha – who has also taken over the group’s head office in recent months ‒ this year collaborated with Jason on The Pig & Palm restaurant in her hometown of Cebu, in The Philippines.

Atherton, who previously worked with Gordon Ramsay, is now also a passionate advocate for hospitality charity, working regularly with industry fund Hospitality Action, as well as enjoying a high-profile media career.

Nova, the £250m restaurant-leisure-residential Land Securities development in the heart of London Victoria, is expected to be completed by the end of the year.

It is also set to include branches of Jamie Oliver's Barbecoa, new D&D London site Aster, Shake Shack, Bone Daddies, Franco Manca, The Riding House Cafe, Sticks & Sushi, and more.